hollyking | National Preparedness Month 2008

Thanks to PAX I’m a day behind so you’ll get two posts today. Here’s my first with the FEMA announcement about National Preparedness Month (NPM).

September is National Preparedness Month, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has joined with more than 2,700 national, regional, state and local agencies and organizations to encourage Americans to prepare their homes, businesses, schools and communities for disasters of all kinds. According to FEMA Regional Administrator Susan Reinertson, motivating individuals, businesses and communities across the country to plan and prepare for emergencies is the cornerstone of effective government response and recovery efforts.

“National Preparedness Month is a great time for the American public to learn about how to prepare for natural disasters and the ever-present threat of terror-strikes,” said Reinertson. “This year’s themes focus on taking simple, but potentially life-saving steps to enhance preparedness, including: Get an Emergency Supply Kit; Make a Family Emergency Plan; Be Informed about the different types of emergencies and their appropriate response; and Get Involved in your community’s preparedness efforts.”

This September marks the fifth annual National Preparedness Month observance, and involved citizens don’t have to look far for solid information. “Free preparedness resources are just a click away,” said Reinertson. “A good place to start is by downloading our Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness from www.fema.gov/areyouready and there is a wealth of information at www.ready.gov. There is also a wide selection of preparedness resources on the Citizen Corps site.”

The Are You Ready citizen’s guide is also available from FEMA’s publications warehouse by calling (800) 480-2520.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.